Friday, 26 July 2013

BUZZ ON BOOKS: 13 authors vying for prestigious Booker Prize + A new autobiography from Usain Bolt on the way

CHAPTERS OF HIS STORY: As the tale of the fastest man in history continues to unfold in mesmerizing fashion and at record-shattering speed, it's all being wisely documented for future generations. Out on October 15 from HarperSport is Faster Than Lightning: My Autobiography, in which Usain Bolt picks up where his previous bestseller (2010's 9.58 -- My Story) left off, charting his meteoric ascension to the status of a living legend decorated with six Olympic gold medals -- and where his superhuman velocity is poised to take him next. Pre-order a copy at Amazon.

LITERARY GOLD: Seven women writers, three first-time novelists and two past winners (Jim Crace and Colm Toibin) are among 13 authors competing for the 2013 Man Booker Prize, open to writers from Britain, Ireland and the Commonwealth. Among the notable names: Jhumpa Lahiri's The Lowland; TransAtlantic by Colum McCann; Crace's Harvest; Toibin's The Testament of Mary; and Five Star Billionaire by Malaysia's Tash Aw. A shortlist will be announced on September 10, while the grand winner of the US$75,000 prize will be known on October 15. According to judging panel chair, Robert McFarlane, this year's crop of contenders is the most diverse in the prize's 45-year history.